Listen to the Nightingale
by BlindMediaProductions
Summary: Fate and her companion Amon traverse the landscape of Skyrim in search of lost treasures and Daedric Gods. But when parts of their past come back to haunt them it has an unpredicted effect on their present lives, the pair are stuck dodging all kinds of trouble while they try to stay alive long enough to figure out where to go next.
1. Prologue Burnt at the Stake

The sharp metal bit into her wrists as Fate's body weight was supported oddly by the pole she was bound to, leaving the Argonian to hiss gently under her breath while she cursed at the Vigils of Stendar that stood before her and Amon. They intended to put the two to death, Fate for her allegiance to the Daedric Prince Nocturnal and Amon for being a vampire. The Vigils were only doing their job in eliminating those who served the Daedra and the undead who endangered the lives of the humans, but that didn't stop Fate from being angry with them for being the one to cause their deaths.

In all the chaos that was going on around them, Fate just closed her pale blue eyes and took a deep breath. Death would embrace them, yes, but her soul was consigned to the Evergloam to serve Nocturnal for all eternity. She would go to the Twilight Sepulcher to serve as an undead guardian until the Daedric Lord was pleased with her service, and then it would dissolve and become part of all the shadows that served the Thieves Guild and all those who gave worship to Nocturnal. Then she would walk by their sides, place her hands in theirs and give them the assistance they needed to thrive.

Amon's soul, however, would not join hers. No, Amon would go to the Void to serve the Dread Lord Sithis to sit by his side for all time. That was her destiny as part of the Dark Brotherhood. They would not see one another again in death, she was sure, and the thought made a single tear slide down Fate's cheek, following the path of the scar on her eye before dropping to the ground. Amon had been her friend for so long that she knew their separation would leave a hole in her heart.

"Don't be sad, Fate." Amon's voice cut through the words of the Vigils and the angry villagers that stood around them, making Fate open her eyes and look sideways at the childish looking vampire. "I'll break in." Her voice was almost cheery, causing Fate to blink in confusion.

"What are you talking about, little one?" She asked, wondering what in the world Amon meant.

"The Evergloam. I'll break in and see you every once in a while. I'm sure the Dread Lord wouldn't mind." It was almost as if Amon could read her mind, and Fate could not help but let a small toothed smile spread across her face.

"I would like that very much, Amon. And I promise once I walk with the shadows I will journey into the Void to visit you. Nocturnal will not be too displeased with me for that, I am sure." Fate laughed gently, but that laughter was quickly silenced as the Vigils approached with torches in hand, ready to set fire to the kindling under their feet and send their souls to the afterlife.

Fate looked square at the two, glaring as she tugged weakly against the metal. The Vigils had been smart, which only further angered her. Had they been bound with anything other than metal the rough scales on her arms might have cut through it or Amon's unnatural strength could have broken it. But there was no escape now, and Fate settled down after a moment so that she could at least go to meet her Lady with some dignity.

"For your crimes of serving a Daedric Lord and feeding on the blood of innocents, we as Vigils of Stendar hereby put you to death. May Stendar have mercy on your souls." With that the torches were lowered to start the flames, and as the heat rose up around them Fate inhaled deeply before issuing her final threat.

"Do not think that word of your actions here will not eventually reach the ears of our guild! As a Nightingale, the Thieves guild will avenge me. As a member of the Dark Brotherhood, they will seek your death to avenge Amon. Mark my words Vigils of Stendar; do not think you are safe just because we are dead!" Her voice echoed above the flames, seeding its way into the ears of all those who stood to watch them die.

Shortly after the last words left her lips Fate felt herself sinking into the darkness. Her body was forcing her to go unconscious to escape the searing pain that now tore through every nerve, but perhaps that was for the best. Though she was trained to deal with being tortured, this was far worse than any that she had endured before. Finally, all was black and there was no noise, no burning, no fire. Just a soothing plane dark as raven's feathers stretched out before her. Then, somewhere in what she was sure was death two voices echoed.

"Is the Listener alright? Oh, please tell me she's alright!"

"I'm sure she's fine. Now get up, Nightingale."


	2. Alduin

The storm cloaks watched the female argonian as she stroked the hair of the young girl who's head was in her lap. Ralof could feel nothing but anger at the Imperials; how could they take a young girl to her death? Children were to be protected, not taken to the block! They hit a sharp bump and he saw the girl jerk a bit, groggy. The little girl opened her eyes and looked around as if insulted before laying her head back down.

"Fate…where are we going? 'M sleepy…" The argonian sighed though her nose and glanced at them nervously before she spoke. Ralof wondered why she didn't want to speak around them, was she shy? She had a soft, gravely voice like most argonians. The child was like any other child…but she had those strange eyes. Like gold…unlike her keepers pure blue eyes.

"I'm sorry Amon. We got captured while you were sleeping." The little girl, Amon, could barely keep her eyes open and she snuggled into her keeper's hold a little more. Ralof grit his teeth. She was too small to understand what was happening and he glared at the back of the drivers head. Ulfric was glaring too; at the argonian. In his opinion no child should be left in the care of a lizard.

"It's okay Fate. Mother will keep us safe." The argonian frowned and continued to pet the child's hair. Ralof watched them intently, wondering what they were talking about. Fate just sighed and shook her head at the pleased child's smile.

"You know I don't believe in that, Amon." They pulled into Helgan and finally Ralof found himself able to speak. The girl looked at him sharply as if he had disturbed her again with his voice. He felt a little bad, but needed to break the silence.

"I wonder if that girl I was sweet on still lives here. Funny, when I was a lad? Imperial walls and towers made me feel so safe…" They pulled to a stop and he watched the little girl sadly as they all got called. Finally the imperial in charge of the list stopped and regarded the argonian and the girl.

"Wait…you two aren't on the list. Captain what should we do?" The captain gave them both a disgusted look and turned her nose up. He saw Amon's eyes narrow as if she was angry. Fate was giving the woman an equally disgusted look as she ordered their deaths. Amon glared hatefully at the woman as they past her and Ralof almost didn't hear the little child growl at her.

"Don't EVER. Be. Alone." He gave her a startled look but quickly grew angrier when they called the girl for the block second. Fate was giving her an almost desperate look as Amon walked complacently to the block and kneeled. Several people were outraged when they saw the little girl about to be put to death. Several of his female companions screamed at the headsman.

"MONSTERS! She's just a little girl!"

"You Imperials call US traitors!?" But the little girl turned her head to regard her companion with laughing eyes and she smiled. As the guard pushed her head down, a dragon landed on the tower and let loose a mighty roar. Soon there was chaos and in that chaos he lost sight of the girl and her keeper.

Hadvar turned around when he saw silver and green out of the corner of his eye, finding the child prisoner and the argonian making their way through the ruins of a house and towards him. The smaller of the two was glaring at him even as the taller girl slapped her shoulder. He called to them, intending to get everyone he could out of this hellish situation.

"Still alive prisoners? You'd better stay near me if you wish to stay that way." If anything they both glared harder at him before whispering between themselves. Hadvar simply ignored them as they followed him towards the keep. In front of them, Havar saw Ralof and felt anger well up in his chest.

"Ralof you traitor!" The blonde Nord simply gave him a disinterested look and shook his wild mop of hair, glancing behind him and at the strange pair behind the imperial. Hadvar didn't know what interested him so in those two, he had been watching them the entire ride there too.

"We're leaving, Hadvar." Ralof called to him, "And you can't stop us this time."

Hadvar could feel himself get slowly angrier and he bellowed at his old friend before turning to usher the two behind him into the keep after him.

"FINE. I hope that dragon takes you ALL to Sovenguard! Come on prisoner's, into the keep." The argonian's face grew stormy and she hissed at him, looking as if she was ready to spit acid into his face. She drew herself up to her full unnatural height and glared down at him.

"Our names are NOT prisoner. I am not going anywhere with you and neither is my friend. You are on your own." Fate then grabbed Amon's hand and dragged her after Ralof. But before she went in the little girl gave him an evil smile and flashed a set of pearly fangs at him and winked one red tinged gold eye at him.

"She was a….vampire?"

Ralof cut the binds on the two strangers before he smiled roguishly and patted the girl on the head. Amon almost looked insulted but also looked pleased by the action. Fate was trying to hold in her laughter as she carefully stripped the storm cloak soldier in the corner of his armor and put it on. She was very glad to be rid of those ragged prisoner robes. The argonian looked over at Amon who was still wearing the ragged clothing that was practically trying to swallow her whole. Ralof smiled indulgently at the child and picked her up.

"Come on lass, I'm sure your Keeper can find you some clothing as we go." Amon gave him a serious look that looked almost comical on her childish face before she tugged on his braid as if in reprimand. She then smiled a bit and looked around the room.

"Not the Keeper. She is Fate and Fate is my friend." After that they ambushed the Imperial soldiers and Ralof made sure Amon was behind them at all times, not attributing the fire balls that came flying at the two every so often to her. Fate smiled as she helped Ralof unlock the gated door and watched Amon out of the corner of her eye. The silver haired child leaned over the Captain who was still alive and gave her an evil smile when she knew Ralof wasn't looking.

"I told you before. Never. Be. Alone." She then lifted the sword the guard had dropped and rammed it into the Captain's smug face. She then walked over and wrapped her arms around fate's waist and pretended to be scared. Fate smiled and rested a hand on her head in praise and they continued on their way. The three of them battled their way to the torture room where they rescued two other Stormcloaks. There, Fate unlocked a cage and stripped the mage inside of his robes and helped Amon into them. Ralof and the others laughed when they saw the little girl swamped in the volumes of cloth. But Fate simply cut the sleeves to size and used a length of cloth to fold the robe up so the child wouldn't rip on them.

"There, now you look like a proper little mage Amon." Amon pouted and grabbed the coins and the spell book with a huff. Ralof just smiled and led them out through the sewers. Behind him, Amon and Fate shared secretive smiles and waved to him as they parted at the Skill Stones.

"You know Fate…that was the most excitement I've had in 70 years." Fate grinned at her, a frightening thing if you had never seen it before.

"Yes, Amon. I do believe that was quite…interesting. We best get to Whiterun then; the Jarl will wish to know of this."


	3. Deadly Dreams

Amon from her spot in the back of the carriage that was taking them to Dawnstar while Fate was driving. She leaned back sleepily against the seat that Fate was sitting on up front. She had tried everything to fall asleep but the sun was just too bright. Fate looked back at her and sighed heavily, knowing that her vampire friend was uncomfortable and the argonian didn't know what else she could do. Suddenly she noticed a wagon in the middle of the road and sighed again.

"Amon, there's an imperial blocking the road. I think it's a jester. Wow, haven't seen one of those in years." Fate smiled when the young vampire poked her head over the side of the cart and blinked blearily at the wagon blocking their way. Suddenly she smiled a slow, smug smile as she took in the man. Fate raised and eye ridge when her companion began to laugh and struggle out of the cart. "Amon…what are you doing? He could be a trafficker."

Amon simply smiled and waved her hand as if warding off her argonian friend's concerns. She gave a gentle smile as she started over to the imperial and an equally gentle laugh. Fate could only groan and follow after her with a grouchy scowl on her face.

"Fear not my dear Fate. We have nothing to fear from this Fool." Fate could only give her a smile, restraining her instinct to grab the child vampire and run until the little man was nothing but a speck on the horizon. But before she could Amon had skipped over and was smiling at the jester as the jester danced and babbled about his broken wheel. Amon smiled gently and looked over at the wagon with a secretive look. Fate didn't like it when the child got that look on her face…damned vampire.

"If you would like, Cicero. My companion and I could attempt to fix your wheel." Fate hissed at that and leaned close to Amon's ear. The jester though had started dancing again, clapping his hands and screeching in glee.

"Are you insane Amon? Who knows what this man is transporting!" She hissed at the child.

"Oh THANK you, kind child! You are the most peculiar child I have met, but THANK you. Cicero will reward you with gleamy, shiny coin! Children like shiny things, right?" Fate's smile became forced as they knelt to fix the wheel, using a few tools Amon had hidden away. The argonian frowned angrily at her friend as they hammered the pin back into the axle.

"You're insane, you damned leech." She whispered angrily while Amon only smiled soothingly at her. The child placed a hand on her scaly friend's arm and patted it.

"I am not, friend. You simply have to trust me; this Fool is nothing to fear." She cooed soothingly. But even as they accepted the absurd amount of coin for fixing the weel, Amon's smile and gaze was fixed on the man and his crate. Fate found it disturbing how the red tinged gold eyes followed the man down the road intently.

"I'll be seeing you later…Keeper." Without another word the vampire climbed into their own cart and curled up to sleep until night. Fate grit her teeth as best her jaw shape would allow and climbed up front, continuing on their way to Dawnstar.

Amon whined as they trekked through the snow to the keep at the top of the very tall 'hill' this so call Priest of Mara had told them about. Amon would eat her boots if he didn't know what was going on in Dawnstar. Fortunately or unfortunately for Amon, Fate had told him they would help. So now here they were; in the cold and the snow.

"Faaaate~! Why couldn't we wait until the storm passed? I'm cold enough without turning into a vamp-cicle!" She whined, trying to make her companion see reason. Fate laughed and turned to look at the miserable child behind them; still in the cut novice robes while she, Fate, was wearing a warmer steel armor she had pulled off some dead bandit. Erndur got a concerned look and went back to pick th child up, giving the argonian a dirty look. Fate rolled her eyes, how anyone could think THAT was a real high elf child was beyond her. They got into the Temple and waited at Erndur to unlock the temple.

"Careful now, they'll all be waking up now that the miasma is clearing. We'll have to take them out if they're still in battle mode." Amon rolled her eyes as once again, she was thrust behind the damned priest for 'protection'. But that was okay to her as Fate ran up and war hammered someone in the face while the vampire set a storm atronauch on them with a grin and a giggle. They fought through the hoards until they came to the 'library' which in the girl's opinion was a friggen hole in the wall. Erndur exclaimed as they found the book as Amon sat down to pull the robes off one of the magic users. She liked purple.

"Here it is! We have to make this potion and you can walk through dreams and unlock the force field." Fate rolled her eyes when Amon shucked the torn and half frozen novice robes for the warmer purple robes. She cut the skirt so that it would fit her small form and left the sleeves, as Amon was having a doll of a time flailing them on her hands. The Priest of Mara came back with the bit of potion and handed it to Fate.

"Why the hell can't YOU drink it?" The argonian hissed unhappily. Erndur smiled warily and held his hands up defensively.

"I can't drink it; it would mix horribly with my devotion to Mara. It will only work for those who follow Vaermina or the unaffiliated." Amon watched Fate drink the potion and vanish before appearing on the other side of the force field as it powered down. The tiny high elf clapped her appreciation for her companion and gave her a hug. Fate smiled down at the childish vampire and patted her hair again, knowing she liked it strangely enough. Erndur gazed at her in awe as they walked up to the Skull of Corruption.

"That was the first time I've ever seen that used…it was amazing!" Though their path was blocked by two others Amon made quick work of them with a pair of overpowered fireballs. The silver haired high elf stood over their bodies and grinned evilly while looting them for money and shiny stuff. Fate left her to follow Erndur up to the skull, then proceeded to stab him in the back for the Skull. As she took the staff of nightmares Amon blinked at her curiously and took the monk robes too.

"Well…guess you chose your Gods as I chose mine." Fate smiled at her friend and patted her head again, not missing the soft purr she gave.

"Yes, little one. Come now; we are done in this city I do believe it's time to move on soon." As they left the temple behind Amon gripped Fate's hand tightly and smiled cutely.

"Anywhere you want to."


End file.
